It might be a bit confusing to keep up with your medications, especially if you’re prescribed many medicines simultaneously. Using a pillbox is one effective way to keep track of your pill schedule, avoid missing doses, and ensure you have enough medicine left.
A pillbox is something you would always want to have inside your beach bag or your handbag for traveling. It might be a little thing, but carrying your pillbox anytime, anywhere, really makes a difference.
Pillboxes have been around for hundreds of years now, and just like any other artifacts, they were made to be beautiful art forms while maintaining their functionality. Ancient pillboxes were made of materials such as wood, animal bones, gold, ivory, jade, and many more.
Most of these pillboxes are large because they were initially placed on a bedside or vanity table. However, some pillboxes were small and very handy, which men and women could easily put inside their purses. This made way for the tiny pillboxes you can see nowadays – very handy and convenient.
What is a Pillbox?
A pillbox is something you often use to organize your medicines and supplements at certain doses for a period of time. It’s also known as a pill case or pill container. A pillbox would come in handy, especially when you are taking different medications at the same time. It helps you keep track of the doses you already took and would still have to take.
Pillboxes are not expensive and are very handy – you can buy them at pharmacies or department stores. They come in various sizes – bigger sizes have many slots perfect when you take your medications several times a day. The most common pill boxes are those with compartments allotted for each day of the week.
When using a pillbox, always ensure you fill them with the correct medications and supplements. Always be extra careful not to put two different pills together in one compartment. It is also important to refill your pillbox when empty – set a schedule of when you should refill every week or month for convenience.
How to fill your pillbox?
- There are different ways to fill your pillbox depending on the instructions on your medication list. Check the doses of each medication and their schedule because healthcare providers sometimes change these kinds of stuff. Always check your updated medication list when filling your pill box so you can follow the proper schedule and the amount of medication you need for the day.
- Do not include medicines you only take when needed, like pain relievers or medicine for nausea, inside your pillbox. Separate these medications from your scheduled medications, and label them properly.
- If you cannot fill your pillbox by yourself, always ask for assistance from a family member, friend, or nurse. You may also seek help from a pharmacist at your local drugstore to give you an easy-open medication bottle so you can open it yourself.
Take out all your supplies
1. Place all your supplies on a clean and flat surface. Some of the things you’ll need to fill your pillbox are the following:
- Your medication list
- The medicines and supplements you’re taking
- Pillbox
2. Ensure you have clean and sanitized hands before filling your pillbox.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, then dry using disposable tissue.
- If you’re unable to wash your hand, make sure to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and ensure that you’re putting enough alcohol to cover your whole hands. Rub your hands until the alcohol dries out.
- Ensure that your pillboxes are lined up according to their order on your medication list.
Filling your pillbox
Always start with the first medicine on your medication list. Fill up your pill box with all the doses you need for a specific mediation before starting the next compartment.
For each medicine on your list:
1. Check how many doses you’re supposed to take on your medication list.
2. Know your medication strength by checking your medication bottles.
3. Count how many pills you need to achieve the prescribed dosage.
- It’s either you use more than one to achieve the proper dosage; or
- You will need to take pills with different strengths to get the prescribed dosage.
4. Go over your medication list to know when to take your different medications.
- If it doesn’t state when you should take your medication, you can choose a certain date that you want. For instance, if it says that you must take your medicine twice a week, you can choose two different days when you should take your medicine. Then do not forget to indicate your preferred date on your medication list.
- The same as with the time. If it doesn’t state what time you should take your medication, you can choose a certain time you want. It can be either every morning or at night. Then do not forget to indicate your preferred time on your medication list.
- Make sure you put all your medications’ prescribed dosages inside your pillbox. Fill your pillbox with all the doses of each medicine for the day or until the day of your next check-up.
5. After filling your pillbox, put back the cap of your medication bottle and close each compartment of your pillbox properly.
6. Then you may repeat the same procedure for your next medication refill.
After filling your pillboxes, store them inside a plastic bag to ensure double safety. This will assure you that your medications would not spill all over the floor and would come to waste if you accidentally knocked your pillbox over.
Always keep track of the number of medications and doses left inside your pillbox. Don’t forget to request refills days before you run out of medication so you’ll never miss the prescribed dosage you need.
Note that missing doses or taking extra doses of the prescribed dosage of your medicine can be dangerous to your health. Pillboxes are made to keep track of your medications, ensuring that you don’t miss any dosage of your prescribed medicine. Since you already have a pillbox, it would now be very easy to always follow your schedule and take your medications on time.